Stuff and Politics. And Stuff.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. Or written years ago, unedited/not updated.

IS it just Facebook? I don't know. Are we human beings really doomed as hell? Just in case our chosen political leader didn't make it? What if Donald Trump wins? Or Hillary Clinton? Will ONE president make a country what it is? Really? People show disgust and frustration with the system--online. Why do we instead go out there and usher change right in our community?

 

       Check this out. Bell Chere is gone. Lex Av Art Fest is gone. What do we have for a community convergence? Festivals that are reeking with alcohol. Our neighbor got shot yet do we talk over dinner? No, we don't because you may serve antibiotics from an Ingles meat. And then we post, "Namaste! Let us heal!" on Facebook! Hallelujah! Post a cool blues/rock gig, 55 will like it but only 5 will show up. Post a beautiful butterfly in nirvana, get 155 likes. Post how great life is because heaven is all in our heads--and that meme of the Himalayas. You'll get 255 likes. All those 410 who "liked" you plus more will show up again in your next Facebook talking cat/holy be thy rainbow post first thing in the morning. A Universe of Likes! 

       Whoever wins as next president, life moves on as is. Cyd The Koolcat and Georgia The Babedawg don't care as long as they're fed on time. Food stamps will be given out and wheat bread will be sold regardless of whether you supported Bernie, Hillary, Trump or Eric Clapton. Why can't we simply say, "Ah!" And start brainstorming something awesome for one and all this summer? We can do that, whoever sits in power. Because it's us the people who will do it, not Bruce Springsteen The President. Politics sucks and those who glorify it? I don't know. Chill. Loosen some fibers and get naked (in the tub, I mean) and say more, "Ahhh!" Now I gotta go get Mexican lunch. Fried pescado/veracruz fish and sweet rice. 🏛🗽🏛

Compilation of short MORNING THOUGHTS.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

Academia invents words and phrases relentlessly so we’d understand life better. But these only shuddered balance, used to criticize/reject others more. Terms: Ethical concern, cultural appropriation, political correctness, critical race theory etc etcetera. When it is an instinctive feeling. Primal action/reaction. What grandma used to remind us kids: “You know what is good and what is bad, don't you? The people around will reward or punish you for whatever you do.” Common sense.✍️ ?✍️

I had to unfriend Friends because I realize I am grandpa-old now and not anymore 14. Sadly, some older people behave exactly what they don’t want their 14 year old grandkids to behave. I can’t tolerate such brat kiddo “mischief” anymore. Out there, I just ignore it. Unfortunately, I am on Facebook. I go to my Homepage and I get immature inanities, one-line smart-ass retorts. Not even funny. And since these people don’t even have dog pics to share, sorry. Out you go! LOL! 🗣👤👥

My first job/s from childhood to high school to adult age: Circulation apprentice, proofreader, English to Tagalog translator, researcher, beat reporter, desk editor, editor in chief/publisher. I kept a huge database at home. OCD with facts and data. On internet days, I still miss or misread data. Though I read a lot of erroneous, misleading, incomplete, or worse, fake data—that proliferate via memes. Don’t people double-check after they click and before they share? ?✍️📜

Passive racism. With what I previously wrote, I made a meme and attributed it to a name that sounds English. A dozen or so “liked” it. Five shared it. Normally, I don’t get quick “approval” when I write as Pasckie Pascua. Worse, I get ridiculed for whatever I wrote. I guess, my name sounds like I emanated from an island so far away where peeps are all dumb. But nope! I am not changing my Russian or French-sounding name to a more “race-accessible” alias. 

       Historically though, many Filipino(a)s changed their name to English when they landed in America to gain easier “acceptance” or assimilation many years ago. Examples: Evans from Evangelista; Grace from Gracia; Cruise from Cruz. Same with the Chinese when they moved and started business in the Philippines. They are Chinese but they assumed last names like Monteverde, Santos, or De la Merced. But then those were the 16th century. 👀😏😂

For some morbid reason, I regularly read the Obituary in newspapers. Curious about the life of those who passed away. These days, I read the New York Times’ obit. Since Covid-19 hit us, most reasons for death read “…complications from Covid-19.” I noticed though in the past month, NY Times doesn’t put “…complications from Covid-19” anymore. Makes me think. Aren’t most or all fatalities resulted from “complications” brought by other agents/viruses other than the ailment per se? 🩺💊💉

No sense in hating China or Russia. The Cold War ended in 1991. No more World War. Superpowers are now trading with each other. If we don’t like what comes from China, we simply cease buying—although it’d be hard. APIs for meds are imported from China. But governments are not perfect. Countries are not Shangrila. Yet China’s expansionism is based on trade, not military; Russia is anchored on oil/natural gas. But America is still #1. Business, not war. Let’s give peace a chance!☮️☯️☮️

We are expostulating atoms of active contradictions. I am a person who prefers to be alone. Aloof, “minor” recluse. But I like watching people. Aside from journalism, I created a life as an event organizer because I like to watch people get together for dialogues, negotiations, and fun—as I intently listen. I like asking questions but I don’t dig answering questions, especially personal stuff. I get lost in a crowd of voices. But I like one-on-one conversations. 😒😞🤐

“Banned books” is a hot topic at the moment. Not a “new” hubbub. Fact is, all these “banned books” can be obtained on Amazon, eBay, your indie bookseller, Goodwill, flea markets, thrift stores, and some at Barnes & Noble. I have many in my personal collection. So there! Have you bought “Maus” yet? Perfect sales pitch! Thing is, what is such a big deal? The issue to me, these days? People don’t really read books. They prefer books compressed to a meme. So quit protesting. LOL! 📚😂📚

I don’t go to podcasts so I don’t know what Joe Rogan talks about other than Neil Young doesn’t agree with him. As a practice in my old age, I don’t watch News TV as well. CNN or Fox et al. Nope! But reading is an obsession. 24/7. So I read all the cussing, cursing, namecalling, shaming, insulting etcetera on Facebook. Hence I don’t get it that Mr Rogan is reminded of his “language.” Especially by those with nasty mouths on their typing fingers. Hypocrisy? 🗣👇👥

Maybe I am a cold, pragmatic dude. Not a fan of flattery. Super emphatic drama. Exaggerated superlatives. Public exhibition of obligatory niceness. But I guess these are the times of bloated hallelujahs. 1 million clicks in 15 seconds. Post a pic that is your ugliest; expect “You are beautiful!” though you are just being silly. Friend performs in an open mic and it sucks! Homeys: “Man, that was awesome!” I don’t mean be rude, harsh, or smart-ass. Just be honest. Or hush. LOL! 🤨😏🤨

About Dogs and Cats and their Buddies.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page. 

RESEARCHERS found that dogs performed similarly to some dolphins and whales in the ability to be creative, and that there were individual differences in the fluency, flexibility and originality of the dogs' behaviors. Get that? Now you may ask cats for their exhaustive documentation of dog behavior, complete with tally chart or frequency table, line graph, pie chart, bar chart, histogram, scatter diagram, distribution graphs plus DNA analysis, photo gallery, and video records. 🐕🐳🐕

GENIUSES at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics find the word "pet" derogatory. They advocate the terms “animal companion” or “companion animal” instead. Pet is/was defined as a domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure. Apparently that definition isn’t correct, says the Immaculates of Academia. Fizz: “Just be nice to us. You may call me and my sister any name. We don’t care. It’s all about you, anyways. Not about us.” 🐈🥸🐈‍⬛

OFFERING abundant targets to laugh at and about, authority is a perpetual source of humor for stand up comics and late night rabble rousers. For a time, I was laughing then I got old and grumpy, and the societal divide got eerily wider. Not funny anymore. Insult, shaming, ridiculing, putting down. I miss the days of Jerry Lewis, Amos `n’ Andy, Robin Williams, Gallagher Brothers (not Oasis), Richard Pryor, The Three Stooges. “Boingg! Whap! Toink! Boom! Ewwwk!” 😅😂🤪

MICE are an easy target for cats. Much like birds, another favorite feline prey, mice are the perfect size for little paws and don't put up much of a fight. Cats are also attracted to a mouse's flittering, skittering, unpredictable movement. But that is old-school. Cats and mice have forged a tactical alliance versus stink bugs in the house. You can’t see the mice in your house because cats taught them ninja tricks. Invisibility, you know. But cats and mice usually ride at dawn to hunt stink bugs. 🐈🐁🐈‍⬛

CATS sleep between 12–16 hours a day. To humans, who need about seven hours of sleep during adulthood, that seems like a lot of time spent snoozing. Not too surprising that cats spend so much time resting. Hunting and exploring things in the house are energy-consuming activities, for Ching. For Fizz, googling stuff and reading books/magazines exhaust her. Yet before I wake up, Ching and Fizz are already up and about. They, in fact, wake me up at exactly my set time to get up. 🐱🦊😴

MEETING friends or new friends these days can be tricky. We are now used to “talking” or chatting on Social Media and obviously many forgot how to talk like humans. So you won’t offend your friends when you see each other in person, just stare while you text her/him–as you sit face to face. But be nice with your texts. Don’t send that annoying laughing emoji. Very offensive. You dig? 😶🫥😐

DO cats have a favorite in the house? Yes. They will show the most affection towards the person who spends the most time caring for them. But while others will be more comfortable loving you from afar, some of our feline friends are very secretive and private. Like Fizz. To know Fizz’s personal whatever or favorite spots, YouTube channels, toy, or food, you need to hack into her laptop. At an early age, she is writing her memoir. (As though what she wants aren’t so obvious.) 🐱🐈🐱

CATS can naturally find someone being so close to their face a bit intimidating, so it's very important that you stop if you think they're uncomfortable and, if you know this is something that your cat struggles with, it's best to avoid a selfie with them. Not with Cyd then and Ching now. Ching even asks sister Fizz to “groom” her face hair before a photo-shoot. And Ching prefers to be always on the front as the camera clicks. Although Fizz isn’t so cool with that cellphone cam silliness. 🐱📸🦊

THE average hooman spends 7 hours staring at an e-screen per day. Yup, what Fizz told me is accurate. Fizz: “One major reason why extra-terrestrials don’t bother to colonize earth despite numerous UFO sightings. They don’t dig hoomans.” Fizz argues that animals are better. She and Ching spend just 15 minutes max watching bird/fish videos, daily. Arrow doesn’t like a cellphone screen at all. She used to watch Jeopardy! with Cyd but not anymore since drama took over the game show. 👽👎📲

CATS are not pack animals the way dogs are. In a natural state they would choose to live alone or pair up with one buddy. Fizz and Ching are “paired up” not just because they are sisters. That’s just the way it is. Fizz though is more “leave me alone” attitude but Ching is very sociable to everybody. Do they blame Arrow for their shenanigans? No. They get along pretty well. They even sleep on one bed, Arrow’s bed in the bedroom, where I am the lucky guest. How lucky I could be! 🐱🐈🦊

Children and Us. And Memories.

Previously posted on my Facebook page. Or written years ago, unedited/not updated.

THERE was a time when mom and dad used to admonish us children for watching too much TV. Junk, they said. I may have done the same to my kids when they were little but not as strict as my dad was. But then these days in the Age of the Internet by way of Social Media, I'd rather motivate teen-age and 20something youths to watch TV series like “Homeland,” “The Americans,” “Hell on Wheels,” and “The Newsroom” than spend time on Facebook trapped in those silly political so-called discussion. 

       Most people tend to simply shoot one-line blurbs that diss or praise without the “why.” At least, the shows that I mentioned offer compelling arguments and well-formulated/researched information very significant in discussion and dialogue, especially in educating the young. 

       I grew up and was trained as a journalist. Facts. Double/triple-checked facts. We had to fight for those facts. Not even my dad could sway me with sermonized ramblings about stuff. I will not debate him but I had to investigate further. Facebook election-related hubbub is replete with whimpers and echoes that may seem harmless. But due to the amount of false information in the guise of funny memes and “websites of folly” plus exchanges of barbs that stream in and out of the Homepage, these become dangerous. 

       I am not siding with any political candidate or preaching a Church creed or something. I just have to admit that many times I am moved to ask, “Really? Tell me, send me links and data and stuff to support your allegation.” None. The person in question either scoots out or continues to coax me to a sidewalk grubble. That's the time that I fall in a sewer of stupid debate over nothing.

       Since high school, I've always loved sociopolitical, economic and cultural discussions, especially from a historical and scientific point of view. My college years were backstopped by endless soirees and convergences where most of what we talked about were stuff around, mostly political. And I always got good words, new knowledge. When I shared something that needs to be corrected, I wasn't called a “moron” or “a dick.” Those around me offered additional information. That was the way it was before.

       These days, I don't know. I really want to know more about people. But I'd like to listen to someone who's got something to say in 15 paragraphs than someone who's got something to spit out in 4 words. Maybe that's the problem—we've lost the patience to listen and the ability to speak. 😏😒🤨